Upwardly acting door and combined hinge and roller spindle support therefor



March 17, 1959 I E. L. STROUP UPWARDLY ACTING DOOR'AND COMBINED HINGE AND Filed March 4, 1957 ROLLER SPINDLE SUPPORT THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2,877,843 INED HINGE AND THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 1959 E. L. STROUP UPWARDLY ACTING DOOR AND COMB ROLLER SPINDLE SUPPORT Filed March 4, 1957 INVENTOR. "far/ A. 6/?"0470 BY UPWARDLY ACTING DOOR AND COMBINED HINGE AND ROLLER SPINDLE SUPPORT THEREFOR Earl L. Stroup, Hartford City, Ind., assignor to Overhead Door Corporation, Hartford City, Ind.

Application March 4, 1957, Serial No. 643,862

11 Claims. (Cl. 160-209) This invention relates to an upwardly acting door or like assembly having a plurality of horizontally articulated sections and combined hinges and track engaging roller supports therefor.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an upwardly acting door assembly comprising a plurality of horizontally articulated sections in association with a door frame and tracks including rearwardlyinclined upright portions, with combined hinges and track engaging roller supports, in which the rollers may be variably positioned to insure that the door will close against the door frame.

Second, to provide a combined hinge and roller support in which the roller spindle may be quickly adjusted to support the roller in spaced relation to the pintle of the hinge or the plane of the door.

Third, to provide a combined hinge and spindle support having these advantages, which may be very economically produced, provides for quick adjustment of the spindle of the roller in relation to the pivot of the hinge, and at the same time is capable of sustaining the stresses as it is likely to be subjected to in use on doors of considerable weight.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section of a door embodying my invention.

. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary inside elevational view of a pair of door sections with a combined hinge and roller support embodying this invention mounted thereon.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view on a line corresponding to line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig.4 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partially in section, on a line corresponding to line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the roller spindle of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary edge elevational view of a door with a modified form or embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a further modification of my invention.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the spindlebearing member of the embodiments of my invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7. v

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of a roller and its spindle adapted for use in the embodiments of my invention illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention in an upwardly acting door assembly, including the door frame 1, a door comprising a plurality of horizontally articulated sections 2, 3, and 4. Section -2 is the bottom section, section 4 the top section, and sections 3 intermediate sections. The tracks of channel cross-section comprise upright portions 5, rear- States Patent described.

ends of the pintle or pivot 34.

2,877,843 Patented Mar. 17, 1959 wardly inclined, relative to the door frame and storing sections 6 merging with the upper ends of rearwardly inclined upright section.

These parts and their assembled relation are old in the art. It is also oldto mount spindles of the track engaging rollers in differently spaced relation relative to' the door sections, so that when the door is in fully closed position it is thrust against the jamb. The Johnson Patent No. 1,820,195 of August 25, 1931, illustrates such an assembly, broadly considered. In that disclosure it will be noted that the spindle supporting brackets are of different length. The applicants invention permits the use of one size of hinge and spindle support for connecting the door sections and supporting the spindles in their proper relation to the track to insure that the door closes against the frame or jamb.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs.

1 to 5 inclusive comprises a hinge member 7 of the leaf type, provided with a knuckle 8 receiving the pintle 9.

The combined spindle support and hinge member 10 is provided with knuckles 11 receiving the pintle 9, the knuckle 8 being desirably positioned between the knuckles 11, so that the knuckle 8 sustains the lateral thrust of the combined hinge member and pintle support The member 10 has an outwardly projecting chambered spindle support portion 12 of substantial length having parallel side walls provided with a series of transverse grooves or ribs 13 defining the grooves. The track en-' gaging roller 14 is provided with a spindle 151, the roller being desirably of the roller bearing type as indicated. The spindle has longitudinally spaced pairs of lugs 19 struck up therefrom and selectively engageable with the grooves in the spindle support for axial sliding engagement therewith. The stop 18 struck up from the spindle permits some lateral movement of the door relative to upper section or panel 4 of the door is supported by the T arm-like bracket 23. However, the one size of hinge may be used for hingedly connecting all of the sections and the spindles properly positioned to insure that the door closes against the jamb or to compensate for the inclination of the track.

The hinge member 10 is provided with an attaching flange 24 receiving the attaching bolts 25, and the hinge member 7 is also secured by bolts 25.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 6, the hinge members and the supports are the same as In this embodiment the roller 26 and its spindle 27 are of standard type and a spindle bearing member 28 is provided, having longitudinal extending ribs 29 selectively engageable with the grooves 13 of the spindle support, otherwise the structure is the same as described.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 7 comprises leaf-like hinge members 30 and 31 provided with knuckles 32 and 33 respectively, receiving the pintle 34. The holder member 35 is provided with flanges 36 receiving the This holder member is of inwardly facing channel section and is provided with a flange 37 lapped upon and secured to the hinge member 30 by means of one of its attaching bolts 38. The

3 from the inner end thereof and laterally retained therein by lugs 41. The member 40 is provided with laterally spaced transverse ribs 42 defining grooves 43 with which the ribs 29 of the bearing member 28 may be selectively engaged, that is, the bearing member may be selectively positioned in the same manner as in the embodiment of Fig. 6. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 7, the holder member 35 is formed of sheet metal stamping. In the embodiments of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive and Fig. 6, the combined hinge and support member is formed desirably as a casting or extruded.

In all of these embodiments of my invention the combined hinge and spindle support members may be of one size or identical, and the roller spindles engaged therewith to support the spindles in proper relation to insure that the door will close against the frame or jamb.

. I have illustrated and described-my invention in a very practical embodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or described other adaptations or modifications, as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed to be new and is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination in an upwardly acting door as sembly including a door frame, a door comprising a plurality of horizontally disposed sections and tracks including upright sections disposed in rearwardly inclined relation to the door frame, combined door section hinges and spindle supports, each comprising coacting hinge members and a connecting pintle therefor, one of said hinge members having a track engaging roller spindle support projecting outwardly relative to said hinge pintle and having laterally spaced walls having parallel transversely grooved inner surfaces, a track engaging roller, and a spindle therefor cross sectionally dimensioned to be inserted between and in supported engagement with said walls, said spindle having opposed longitudinally spaced pairs of longitudinally extending lugs selectively engageable with opposed grooves in said walls where by the spindle may be variably positioned and supported in laterally spaced relation to said pintle and in the same plane relative thereto, said spindle being axially reciprocable relative to said hinge member and being provided with a stop positioned between the hinge menber and the roller on the spindle.

2. The combination in an upwardly acting door assembly including a door frame, a door comprising a plurality of horizontally disposed sections and tracks including upright sections disposed in rearwardly inclined relation to the door frame, combined door section hinges and spindle supports, each comprising coacting hinge members and a connecting pintle therefor, one of said hinge members having a track engaging roller spindle support projecting outwardly relative to said hinge pintle and having laterally spaced walls having parallel transversely grooved inner surfaces, a track engaging roller, and a spindle therefor cross sectionally dimensioned to be inserted between and in supported engagement with said waZ E, said spindle having opposed longitudinally extendir lugs selectively engageable with opposed. groover n said walls whereby the spindle may be variably positioned and supported in laterally spaced relation to said pintle and in the same plane relative thereto.

3. The combination in an upwardly acting door assembly including a door frame, a door comprising a plurality of horizontallydisposed sections and tracks including upright sections disposedin'rearwardly inclinedrelation to the door frame, combined door section hinges and. spindle supports, each comprising coacting hinge members and a connecting pintle therefor, one of said hingev members having a track engaging roller spindle support projecting outwardly relative to said hinge pintle and. havinglaterally spaced opposed parallelrside walls having parallel transversely grooved inner surfaces, a track engaging roller and a spindle therefor supportedly disposed between said walls and having laterally projecting lugs selectively engageable with grooves in both of said walls whereby the spindle may be positioned and supported in variably spaced relation to said pintle.

4. A combined hinge and roller support comprising coacting hinge members and a connecting pintle therefor, one of said hinge members having a spindle support projecting outwardly relative to said hinge pintle and having laterally spaced walls having parallel transversely grooved inner surfaces, and a roller provided with a spindle cross sectionally dimensioned to be inserted between and in supported engagement with said walls, said spindle having opposed projecting lugs selectively engageable with opposed grooves in said walls whereby the spindle" may be positioned and supported in variably spaced relation relative to said pintle, said spindle being axially reciprocable relative to said hinge member when so engaged and being provided with a stop coacting with one edge of said support member.

5. A combined hinge and roller. support comprising coacting hinge members and a connecting pintle therefor, one ofsaid hinge members having a spindle supportprojecting outwardly relative to said hingle pintle and having laterally spaced walls having parallel transversely grooved inner surfaces, and a roller provided with a spindle cross sectionally dimensioned to be inserted between and in supported engagement with said walls, said spindle having opposed projecting lugs selectively engageable with opposed grooves in said walls whereby the spindle may be positioned and supported in variably spaced relation relative to said pintle.

6; A. combined hinge and roller spindle support comprising hinge members and a connecting pintle therefor, one of said hinge members having a roller support projecting outwardly relative to the hingle pintle and having opposed walls parallel with the pintle and having parallel inner faces having a plurality of opposed transversely extending grooves therein, and a roller provided with a spindle having opposed lugs thereon selectively engageable with said grooves whereby the spindle may be variably positioned laterally relative to said hinge pintle.

7. The combination in an upwardly acting door assembly including a door frame, a door comprising a plurality of horizontally disposed sections and tracks including up right sections disposed in rearwardly inclined relation to the door frame, combined door section hinges and spindle supports, each comprising coacting hinge members and a connecting pintle therefor, one of said hinge members' having a track engaging roller support projecting outwardly relative to said hingle pintle and having laterally spaced opposed parallel side walls having parallel transversely recessed inner surfaces, and a track engaging roller provided with a support member disposed between said walls and selectively engageable with recesses in said walls whereby the roller may be positioned and supported in variably spaced relation to said pintle.

8. A combined hinge and roller spindle support comprising hinge members provided with a connecting pintle, one of said hinge members being provided with a track engaging support projecting outwardly relative to the hinge pintle and having opposed walls having parallel inner faces defining a slot-like opening therebetween, tlic inner faces of said walls having a plurality of opposed grooves therein extending transversely thereof, and a trackengaging roller provided with a support means disposed between said walls and having opposed lugs thereon, said lugs being: selectively engageable with said grooves whereby the roller may be variably positioned laterally relative to the pintle of the hinge members and in the same plane relative thereto in all of its several adjusted.

positions.

9. A combined hinge and roller spindle support comprising hinge members and a connecting pintle therefor, one of said hinge members having a roller support projecting outwardly relative to the hingle pintle and having opposed walls having parallel inner faces having a plurality of opposed transversely extending grooves therein, and a roller and a support member for said roller having opposed lugs thereon selectively engageable with said grooves whereby the roller may be variably positioned laterally relative to said hinge pintle.

10. A combined hinge and roller spindle support comprising hinge members provided with a connecting pintle, one of said hinge members being provided with a roller spindle support projecting outwardly relative to the hinge pintle and having opposed walls having parallel inner faces defining a slot-like opening therebetween, the inner faces of said walls having a plurality of opposed grooves therein extending transversely thereof, and a roller provided with a bearing member having oppositely projecting longitudinally disposed lugs selectively engageable with said grooves whereby the spindle may be variably 6 positioned laterally relative to the pintle of the hinge members and in the same plane relative thereto in all of its several adjusted positions.

11. A combined hinge and roller spindle support comprising hinge members and a connecting pintle therefor, one of said hinge members having a roller support projecting outwardly relative to the hinge pintle and having opposed walls having parallel inner faces having a plurality of opposed transversely extending grooves therein, and a roller provided with a spindle, and a bearing member for said spindle having opposed lugs thereon selectively engageable with said grooves whereby the spindle may be variably positioned laterally relative to said hinge pintle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,857,756 Headley May 10, 1932 2,525,309 Norberg Oct. 10, 1950 2,655,683 McKee et al Oct. 20, 1953 2,727,417 Eifel Dec. 20, 1955 

